Will Campbell = CHAOS

Will Campbell flew down to the Army All-American game yesterday and dropped a bomb on Michigan fans:

Although Campbell still denies a leader and maintains he favors Miami, Michigan, LSU, Alabama and Florida, in-state favorite Michigan now seems like a long shot. "I'm really looking to get away from here," Campbell said. "I liked my other visits and I'm thinking of seeing something new. I'm thinking about leaving Michigan."

He repeated this to a number of other people (one example); it's no fluke. Commence red alert and all that, OMG death etc etc etc. Then last night mods on the premium sites started posting items that ranged from cautiously suggesting Michigan probably isn't 100% out to "Campbell is coming to Michigan, but I will use my infuriating pidgin to communicate this."

The great hope here is that Campbell is attempting to add drama to a recruitment long considered a foregone conclusion even before a William Campbell showed up in the Michigan directory on the same day Tate Forcier, Vincent Smith, and the rest of Michigan's early-enrolling squad of folks did.

Is this a plausible hope? Eh… maybe. The Campbell recruitment is different than that of Nick Perry or Ronald Johnson. There was never any consensus on Perry's destination. Johnson was supposedly a Michigan lock but that information was solely provided by moderators at the premium sites and never had any outside corroboration. In Campbell's case we've had reports from random people about conversations with Campbell or his teammates or people close to the situation that indicated he was coming to Michigan. There's a ton of evidence out there, and even if that "evidence" is the shaky anonymous internet variety it's prolific enough that it seems credible.

But it's really hard to look direct quotes in the face and conclude they mean nothing. If Campbell was looking to inject drama into his decision, he's succeeded.

Comments

Why would he want to add drama to his recruitment??? I just don't see the point. Does anybody know if his name has appeared for new students with Urban Cryer, Felon U, or with Les "I think Im Bo" Miles?

I'm taking him at his word. He's gone. Apparently, beaches are his main consideration. Other coaches must really be badmouthing Rodriguez for all these decommits. Whether it's valid or not, the perception is that there's something wrong at Michigan, and kids are listening. I don't think it's over either. Pearlie and DeQuinta are probably next. I don't understand why these kids are yanking Michigan around so much. You don't see these decommits at other schools.

Why conjure up lame alternative explanations? Accept his word. He also said around the time of his decommitment that he wanted to "play for a championship." Take him at his word. He certainly will not be playing for a championship at UM before his Jr. year and then only for the Big 10, maybe. He has a much better chance of "playing for a championship" elsewhere.

While agree with your premise (criticizing U of M doesn't make you an ND fan, and falling back on that in the face of any criticism is stupid), you couldn't have come off any more douchebaggy in the way you said it.

"John Chavis, whose attacking defenses were the backbone of some of Tennessee's best teams under Phillip Fulmer, is trading Rocky Top for the Bayou.

Multiple sources have told ESPN.com that Chavis has agreed in principle to become the new defensive coordinator at LSU and that the deal is expected to be finalized later this week.

Chavis, 52, spent the last 14 seasons as Tennessee's defensive coordinator. The Vols, despite their struggles on offense this season, ranked fourth nationally in total defense.

In nine of Chavis' 14 seasons as the Vols' defensive coordinator, Tennessee ranked among the top three in the SEC in total defense. Miles got an up-close view of Chavis' work during the 2007 SEC championship game, when Tennessee held the eventual national champion Tigers to just one offensive touchdown."

So, if you're Will Campbell and you want to play on the DL for a dominating defense, who do you want to play for: LSU, and Chavis, with his long track record that includes producing NFL-caliber defensive linemen, or Michigan and their yet-to-be identified implementer of the 3-3-5 stack?

You've gotta hand it to Miles: when he needed a DC a couple of years ago, he aggressively went out and got Bo Pelini, and a national championship in the bargain. Faced with the need again, Miles wastes no time in getting a guy with a proven track record, while Rodriguez fiddles.

Oh, but the school issues out umich email accounts to anyone that applies. Come on. The guy has been busting his a$$ to be able to make an announcement at the Army game while still being able to enroll early (and attend class the following Monday). Is it THAT implausible that he wants to make the most of his first chance to speak on national television?

If Campbell was not pulling our legs and decided to go to LSU or Miami, I wonder if that would have an effect on Dior Mathis following suit and doing the same thing next year. One player obviously does not make a recruiting class, but given the dreadful state of our DL, this loss would really hurt. Time to put Vince Helmuth on the Jay Riemersma/Andy Mignery diet and move him to DL.

This is just downright odd. It's really hard to imagine an 18-year-old lying as well and as boldly as that Rivals video would suggest if Campbell is still coming to Michigan...I do think that it's worth remembering that U of M will always lose some top-notch players to schools in warmer climates...Anybody who just wants to party and make it to the NFL will end up going south or west. Michigan can't - and shouldn't - compete with schools that recruit players with Snoop Dogg, Luther Campbell, and a bunch of stripper-quality women. I don't mean to say that this is what swayed Will Campbell (assuming he's been swayed). I do mean to say that U of M will always lose some 5-star guys to this.

Snoop Dog, Luther Campbell and stripper quality women = "Southern family thing"?!?! This was the reason for heading South on the interview. Hopefully things like an education from a great school, a great football team and Midwest values still mean something.

Don't accept any excuses about the system either. You start building a 3-3-5 with the nose. He would probably be featured in the future defense. But heed not my friends, we only want people whom want to be here. Whom desire to be Michigan men. Not maybe want to play a little ball for a football team called Michigan. Remember that before you jump off the roof. I hope he comes to Michigan. I wish it for him and for us. He will get a better education and overall college experience here. Don't sell your soul over one 3-9 season. Be patient and build it right. Go Blue!!!

"...compete with schools that recruit players with Snoop Dogg, Luther Campbell, and a bunch of stripper-quality women."

Who freakin' cares? And what is wrong with stripper quality women? And if that crap works, why not do it here? This Michigan Man myth crap is getting fairly revolting. Probably why we are losing so many recruits. Its bad enough we have such sucky weather, maybe some booze and celebs and broads will get us some of these recruits.

because grown men suckering teenagers into playing football for them by using celebrities and sex is morally abominable. I would rather see Michigan become the equivalent of Princeton basketball than have them do that. Otherwise we fans might just as well follow Big Brother 9 or Win a Chance to Be Degraded by a Former Child Star or whatever other swill is on TV.

To pretend that Michigan somehow occupies a moral high-ground after seeing the Basketball team stripped of scholarships and put on probation for giving cars and cash to players requires one to put their heads in the sand.

You can claim that was years ago, and be correct, but so was Luther Campbell's involvement at Miami. There haven't been any substiantive allegations against them in the Coker or Shannon years, nor has there been anything of note against LSU. You're just making up blind characterizations of programs based on no fact.

Google "Florida State Cowgirls." ...More, there's a kid going to Oklahoma this year whose blog chronicled how Texas recruited him and other guys with hot girls who led them around campus and, if they wanted, had sex with them. The kid said he was really put off and it was a big reason he chose Oklahoma (who didn't do that)...We've all seen Snoop Dogg and co. at USC games...Am I extrapolating out a bit to guess that Florida, LSU, and Miami engage in the same kind of tactics in the win-at-all costs SEC/south? Yes, yes I am.

Yes, the basketball team had serious problems in the '90's. Big Ten football, though, just doesn't generally sell kids on the kind of superficial crap that USC and the southern schools do.

Do you really think no major schools are cleaner than others? I went to the Univ. of Kansas when Roy Williams was there and I feel comfortable saying, by virtue of having known the women's basketball team (who all knew the men's team), that Williams' teams were really pretty damn clean.

You've given lots of opinions and allegations. Back it up. Show me this kid's blog. Rather than saying "you really think they're not dirty?" give me a reason to think it.

And what about the FSU Cowgirls? They're 4 chicks who go to Florida State games in skimpy tops and cowboy hats. Like thousands of girls do at every school ever (maybe minus the cowboy hats). They got shown on TV and made a canny business move in getting paid to put bikini photos online and appear in Maxim. What does that have to do with shit? They're not University sanctioned, and they don't make a policy out of fucking football players from what I can tell.

And how does Snoop Dogg's presence at a sporting event equal some evidence of malfeasance? I mean, Nick Lachey's a fan, too. Does Russell Crowe coming to speak to our team mean something? I'm confused.

I'm not much for making internet links, but the above was recently in the NY Times. The story was exagerated to me when I was told about it but I think the general idea holds up.

My point, anyway, is that U of M doesn't have Cowgirls involved in recruiting (I know the Cowgirls are involved in FSU recruiting b/c I've seen it on Outside the Lines on ESPN -and no I didn't tape the broadcast).

OK, so he doesn't say that girls were encouraged to have sex with him. He said there was a party thrown by fans in which there was a lot of drinking and drugs, and women removed their tops, and some made out with each other.

I played Club lacrosse (and I can assure you, was not being aggressiveley recruited), and I saw this at Michigan.

I have hearsay stories from a bunch of different people too but I'm guessing that's just not going to make the nut. I think we're going to have to agree to disagree and get back to caring too much about what a bunch of teenagers do with a funny-shaped ball.

I was just taking exception to background you laid. Allowing Ed Martin was in bad judgment, and Fisher ignoring all of the waring signs (player driving around in SUV's) was worse. But they don't compare to when a University actively participated in it.

Ellipses man is back, posting as "bluebloodedfan." Can't wait for Dex to mix it up with him again.

Let the process play out and let him make his announcement. For Christ's sake, some of you guys scare me. Yes, it would be a punch in the dick if he left the state, but please. I have been following recruiting for some years now, and this season has proven why I should just pick up the paper after signing day to see who we got. The inception of recruiting sites like Rivals has made a circus out of the process (and I'm guilty of following it). The fact that a newspaper and these sites broke that his name (or a name similar to his) appeared in the student directory probably stole his thunder of Saturday's announcement. I don't know if he's just playing with us or not, but my God, life does not stop and start at the verbal of an 18-year-old.

this is arguably the worst recruiting year ever...even after all the de-commits, i managed to survive past the bryce mcneal, the beaver de-commits, etc...but this is gonna straight up suck if he de-commits

im just praying that he's joking around and that he pulls out a michigan hat from nowhere but if he dosent, its gonna hit hard

I think you might not be viewing this page as threaded. My comment about over-stating how much it matters was directed at the poster who suggests that Michigan assigning him a uniqname pushed Campbell away. I'm not suggesting losing Campbell doesn't matter.

Yeah, I misread the thread. I also find it amusing that I told you that you couldn't quantify that sort of thing and then stated that "it matters" as though I can quantify it. Intellectually lazy I be.

and Campbell is not just playing around then Rich Rod has some serious damage control to do. I know it's just an 18-year old kid and all that but it's Michigan's only realistic shot this year at landing a 5-star. Psychologically it would be a huge win for RR and Michigan. It may sway other solid recruits that are on the fence.

Do you think not having a DC could be hurting the cause? I think the sooner RR names a DC the better.

I think something is not right in RichRodland when we lose both Beaver and Campbell, two of our highest rated commits at two of our neediest positions. We have to be concerned that with Campbell leaving, we will have lost significant in-state recruiting. The state's best players are going to warmer climes like Florida, California, Louisiana, and while this began under LC's regime, RichRod has not stopped the bleeding. It may be getting worse.

The sky is not falling. Campbell is already decomitted. We have an excellent recruiting class so far despite the decomittments and we will be better than we were last year.

If Campbell decides to go elsewhere, the team will survive and will get better over the next couple years.

I am sure the coaching staff is analyzing each decomittment to see what they could do differently, if anything, to stop the decomittments, but short of not offering guys who may not be fully committed, I think it is a risk that is inherent in recruiting.

In general, the staff knows who they can count on and who they can't and are recruiting accordingly.

I think we will be happy with the class, Campbell or not.

That being said, I still think he ends up at Michigan. I put a lot of stock in what his mother said after his official visit.